Friends Close, Enemies Closer
by Gamebird
Summary: In The Last Jedi novelization, it is said that Kylo Ren keeps Hux with him to keep an eye on him and head off any possible betrayal. Which begs the question of long he keeps Hux near ... and how near that is.
1. Enemies Close

Hux frowned at the notification on his datapad. His quarters had just been changed. There was only one person with clearance to do that. He turned to Kylo Ren, who had joined him on the bridge after their return from Crait, as Hux coordinated repair efforts and Ren did whatever it was he was doing - rearranging people's lives to no point, apparently. "Supreme Leader."

Hux wanted to yell 'Ren!' but there were too many others around. When Ren only glanced over his shoulder at him and frowned, then went back to leaning over a console with a lieutenant, Hux strode over. He wasn't going to allow himself to be ignored.

Ren let him cool his heels for a few more seconds - long enough to be annoying, but not actually disrespectful - before straightening and turning to him.

Hux showed him the datapad message. "What is the meaning of this? Do you not think I'm busy enough in the current situation that I also need to manage a move?"

"Don't worry. I'll help."

"This is not the best way for you to be spending your time either."

Kylo shrugged like it was inconsequential. "We still have to sleep."

'We'. 'Sleep'. An icy chill ran through Hux's veins as he whipped the datapad back to face him and stared at the room number he'd been assigned. He hadn't even bothered to look at it before, assuming it was just a random room and that Kylo Ren was demoting him to smaller quarters in some childish display of dominance. But no. That was Ren's room number.

Hux stared at him. "Are you changing rooms?" he asked very quietly. It was almost a whisper. "Also?"

Kylo smirked. "No."


	2. Logistics

"We need to discuss this privately," Hux said.

"No, we don't."

Hux was stymied. He couldn't give orders to his own supreme leader – at least, not in front of people. Given the choking and getting slammed about – not elsewhere, either. Hux had no idea what Ren was playing at, wanting them to share a room. A bed, too? What else?

"There are … questions. I-" Hux looked past Ren at the lieutenant who was minding her own business at her console, but easily able to overhear them.

Ren shook his head. "No. You have your orders."

Hux bared his teeth slightly. "We need to discuss logistics, at least." His voice was strained.

"The arrangements are effective immediately." Ren returned to the console, obviously having run out of patience for the discussion.

Hux ignored the brush-off and spoke to Ren's back. "Are we trading shifts?" The best-case scenario would be if they used the same quarters but switched shifts – a common arrangement for troopers when space was limited. Nothing else seemed sensible unless there was something horribly sexual and predatory about the whole thing. Was there?

Ren turned to him with a glare. "No. You are not to question my orders further." There was a subtle shift on the bridge as everyone within earshot started listening as closely as they could.

Hux blew out a huff of air, lips pressed tightly together. He'd been planning to work into the next shift if the stimulants lasted that long. He'd been awake for at least thirty hours. If he worked until he crashed, he wouldn't be stumbling into the relative safety of his own quarters to collapse in his bed. He would be stumbling into Ren's, trying to make careful decisions while impaired much worse than he already was.

"Yes sir," Hux said in a properly subdued tone that no one could claim was inappropriate. "I will go make arrangements now." He turned on his heel and strode from the bridge.


	3. Leniency

Hux stood in the lift as the doors began to shut. He did nothing at all as he watched Ren stalk toward him. The doors would be shut by the time Ren got there. With a wave of his hand, Ren pressed the hold button at a distance. Hux allowed himself an annoyed sigh as the doors reopened and his commanding officer joined him.

It was a long, silent ride. Hux spent it on his datapad, typing in a request for an additional bed to be delivered to Kylo Ren's room. Ren followed him out of the elevator. Until then, there had been the possibility Ren was headed elsewhere. "You're coming with me?" Hux asked.

"I said I'd help."

"You're the one who needs help," Hux said with an abrasive tone. "As the most senior officer on the bridge, did you designate who had command upon your departure?"

Hux didn't conceal his smirk when Ren's single blink of surprise outed him for the lapse in protocol. He didn't regret it even when Ren grabbed him by the throat with his gloved hand and shoved him against the wall. "If the supreme leader can be replaced, then so can a general!"

He grimaced at the fingers digging into his flesh. His hands touched Ren's wrist lightly, but he didn't go so far as to resist. Besides, it seemed Ren didn't actually know how to choke someone with his hand – or he wasn't trying. "You're the one who said it."

"Are you threatening me?"

"I'm being throttled by you for the second time today. What do you think?"

"I think you're not getting out of my sight until I know I can trust you."

"That's going to be a very long time." Hux knew that didn't help his case, but he didn't care. He moved his hand up so his fingers were on Ren's, trying to judge if he could get away with peeling them off.

Ren let go. He looked tired and frustrated. "What arrangements do you have to make?"

He hadn't been slammed against the wall, only shoved. He hadn't been choked, only pinned by the neck. Hux eyed Ren suspiciously for the leniency. "I'm going to get my things from my quarters."

"Then let's do that."


	4. Privilege

They stopped at Hux's quarters, where he picked up his toiletries, pajamas, the next day's uniform, and a few other items before heading to Ren's room. Once there, he set down his things and checked the datapad. His stomach sank. The requisition request for a bed had been given an estimated fulfillment date of three cycles from now. "I don't know what else I was expecting, given the priority of repairs to life support and rescue operations," he muttered to himself. Hux resolutely typed in a request for escalation, already knowing it wouldn't help.

Ren smirked at him. "You could call them. You are a general."

"I am aware of my rank," he snapped, offended by Ren's misplaced sense of privilege. "Unlike others, I have no intention of abusing it. You know what this looks like." He gestured at Ren's bed, daring Ren to admit he was going to take advantage of his powers and new title to force himself on his subordinate.

Ren shrugged. "The code of conduct doesn't apply to the supreme leader. I don't think anyone would think less of me in any case."

"I can't tell if you're aware everyone already thinks ill of you or if I'm such a prize as to be worth the gossip." The first possibility was dangerously close to an insult. The second was Hux continuing to test the waters to see what was going on. There was only one bed in the room, not even a couch, and Hux wasn't going to sleep on the floor like a bivouacked soldier. If he was to continue his duties on the morrow, then he needed decent rest.

"Could be both."


	5. Disarming

Nothing untoward happened as Hux used the shower, so perhaps Ren had some sense of decorum. Hux dried off and dressed in pajamas, trying to think loudly that Ren had better behave himself as a roommate or else Hux really would put a knife between his ribs.

When he came out of the refresher, Ren held a hand out toward him. "Your weapons."

"What? I'm not going to wear a blaster to bed. You'll be safe enough. It will be with my things, out of reach."

"They will be in a compartment locked to my thumbprint. I won't ask twice."

'They'. He didn't like that. The blaster he could lose. The knife, though … "In a moment," Hux said, stalling. He headed toward the spot where the rest of his items had been left, intending to sort through his uniform for the blaster and duly turn it over as requested. Instead, the clothing in his arms shifted like a living thing. He dropped it in a fright as the blaster managed to unholster itself and fly to Ren's outstretched hand. Hux scowled at him.

Then the knife up his sleeve exited the scabbard and joined the blaster. Hux made a helpless, frustrated noise at that. "I have not been without that knife for more than a few seconds at a time in _years_ ," Hux spat at him in a rage. Ren looked dubiously from the blade to Hux, as though the anger were out of proportion to the situation.

"What are you waiting for?" Hux burst out finally. "I'm not some child who needs a comfort object! You wanted it. You have it. I can't stop you when you want to take something from me – my army, my knife, my privacy, anything! You have demonstrated that all day, _Supreme Leader!_ "

Ren went to the wall compartment as Hux glared at him. His lightsaber went into the locked cabinet along with Hux's items. "You are not as replaceable as I would like to insinuate, _General_. In fact, you are critical to the successful operation of the First Order." Ren turned to face him. "I can't control this organization without you. But I can read minds, including yours. You have a history of eliminating your rivals. Or your relatives. I don't intend to die that way."


	6. Fantasies

Hux climbed into bed, snarling and defiant. When Ren joined him, Hux informed him archly, "I have nightmares and I kick." He didn't know if the kicking part was true, but it might be. Even if it wasn't, claiming it might let him get away with kicking Ren later on, which sounded appealing.

"I'm reading your mind," Ren said sullenly.

"Good," Hux said with a huff. "Enjoy that." He engaged in some juvenile antics of imagining harm coming to Ren in unrealistic, humiliating ways, but was too tired to keep it up. Ren minded his business on the other side of the bed, offering nothing Hux could interpret as threatening aside from his presence. When Hux finally decided it was unlikely he'd be assaulted further, the adrenaline faded and sleep came quickly.

Hux woke to the sound of soft snoring and someone's back pressed against his own. The situation was so unfamiliar that it took a moment to get oriented. He turned his head to look over his shoulder. Ren slumbered on. A hint of a smile crept over Hux's face. He could kill the man in his sleep should he desire. There had to be something around here heavy enough to bludgeon him with. Even an elbow to the face by surprise might win him enough of an advantage that he could ultimately prevail, no matter the size difference or the greater amount of time Ren spent in combat training.

Ren continued to snore. Hux settled back in. It was interesting to feel another person moving against him, ribs shifting slightly with each breath. It was relaxing. He remembered the last time it had happened. He'd been a cadet coming back during the extraction from Lothal. He'd been exhausted, with a list of minor injuries and some emotional shock, though he wouldn't have admitted to it. Those with major injuries had perished, but Hux hadn't been in command so he didn't feel any special guilt over it. He'd just been following orders. Orders said strap in and hang on as they were transported back to the _Avenger_. He'd slumped over against the next cadet before they'd made it out of atmosphere.

When he'd woke, he'd felt ashamed of his weakness, but no one had said anything of it. Most of them were in a similar state. Later, he'd thought about how it had felt to be against someone. The only similar experience was on the _Imperialis_ in route to the Unknown Regions, with a group of other child soldiers he'd been put in charge of. They had enough beds, but some of the children climbed with others anyway. Armitage had found it disgustingly deviant and lashed out viciously at those foolish enough to try it with him.

It was still deviant, but as an adult, that lent it an air of the erotic rather than being merely disgusting. Adults routinely slept together if they held affection for one another, or sexual interest. He had assumed Kylo's desire to share quarters reflected the latter and he'd been mentally ready to fight. But nothing had happened. Maybe they were both exhausted.

Or maybe it meant Ren wasn't interested in him. If so, could Hux turn the tables by acting interested in him instead? Would that work if his mind was being read? Hux had never considered it, but he didn't think it would be difficult to manage a semi-genuine attraction to the man. Ren was powerful and feared. The fantasy of getting to fuck someone like him was consuming enough that Hux thought it would do to conceal any Machiavellian motives. But did he have any such motives to conceal, Machiavellian or not? Or, having failed to stick a knife in the man, did he just want to stick his dick in Kylo Ren and hear him moan out Hux's name in wanton, submissive desire with every dominating thrust Hux delivered?

Stars. The very idea was giving him an erection. He would have never thought of something so lewd if he'd still had his knife. He flipped back the blanket to get up when Ren's hand came down heavily on his hip. Hux nearly jumped out of his skin. "How long have you been awake?" he asked in alarm. He clutched the blanket over himself, even though the jolt of fear sent his erection shrinking to nothingness at a record pace.

Ren rolled over slowly, taking his hand away and giving a lecherous smile. "Long enough."


	7. Mastery

Hux swallowed and stared at him, breathing hard and fast. His eyes traced the scar over Ren's face. Others had hurt Ren. He wasn't immortal. It could be done. If he needed to. It was too bad he'd lost the advantage of Ren sleeping or pretending sleep. But good, he supposed, that he hadn't tried anything. He did a quick review of his daydreaming. Aside from the brief fantasy, he hadn't thought anything compromising or too revealing.

Ren sprawled back away from him, his athletic body moving under the thin cover. The open, undefended nature of the posture caught Hux's notice. Ren's body language was a clearly non-aggressive. Hux let out a heavy breath, saying, "You saw my thoughts."

"Yes. But so far, they're just thoughts." Ren's hands were raised over his head. The fingers of one hand plucked at the corner of the pillow.

"What if I want to make them more?"

Ren shrugged languidly and oh, that was an invitation if Hux had ever seen one. (He had not, but this was blatant.) Hux turned to face him, hooking a finger in the cover and pulling it down. Ren was as dressed as Hux was, but it was one less layer between them. His hand came back up, moving directly to Ren's throat with enough mental foreshadowing for Ren allowing it to be deliberate. One didn't just strangle the supreme leader without his permission, after all.

Ren arched into the grip. Hux's lip curled up into a savage grin as he put pressure to it, letting his fingers dig in at the sides until Ren's neck muscles tensed reflexively to protect his airway. It still had to hurt. Hux dropped his face to Ren's, kissing him hard and sloppy with too much teeth like he couldn't decide if he wanted to kiss or bite. Ren made an amused groan and slid his hand around Hux's waist. He pulled, collapsing Hux onto the front of Ren's torso.

It also made it difficult to keep a decent grip on the man's over-muscled neck. Hux gave up on it and kissed and bit across Ren's face to a spot just under Ren's ear. He bit him again there and sucked hard. Ren expelled a rude word and sunk one hand into Hux's hair. He tugged. Hux bore down with his teeth, completely willing to tear a chunk out if he was removed sooner than he wished. When Hux was done, the supreme leader sported an obvious hickey and teeth marks.

Ren petted the back of his head as Hux admired the bruise. "Happy now?"

"Are you? You're the one who wanted to sleep with me." Hux climbed out of bed.

"I want to be safe," Ren said, brows pulling together.

"Then make yourself useful," Hux said immediately and with more honesty than he would have used the day before. He looked up and down Ren's body. "I won't kill you if I need you."

"You're the one who should be serving me."

Hux rolled his eyes. "I am not your apprentice begging you for secrets of the Force. A leader provides a function – setting the mission for the group, consolidating information needed to achieve it, and communicating objectives for success. If you choose the wrong mission or incompetently set strategy, then your subordinates will replace you. They must, or else your decisions will get them and the entire Order destroyed. You are my commanding officer, not my master."

"You didn't replace Snoke."

"Why do you think he brought himself and his flagship into a war zone, Ren?" Hux bared his teeth. "He _had_ to. He didn't need to speak of it because he knew – after losing Starkiller Base, the only way he could retain leadership of the First Order was to put his own life on the line to destroy the Resistance. And you see what that cost him? He's gone. Just as you will be, if you make his mistakes."

A pout formed on Ren's lips, but it was thoughtful.

The man didn't know what he was doing. Hux could see it on his face. He also saw an opportunity that he hadn't noticed the day before. Ren still needed a master. "You can retain the title," Hux offered. "But let me make the decisions."

"I'm still not letting you out of my sight," Ren said.

Hux's eyes lingered on the hickey before going back to Ren's. "That's a sacrifice I'm willing to make."


End file.
